Improved means of sealing preserve-cans



H. S. FISHER.

- Fruit Can.

Patented Nov. 12, 1861.

STATES I I UNITED HENRY s.

PATENT QEFICE.

FISHER, OF NEWBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,729, dated November 12, 1861.

State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sealing Preserve- Oans; and I do hereby declare that the follow ing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a sheet of theimproved scaling material which I employ. Fig. 2 is a scroll of the material as sold in the market. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are views of preserve cans and jars with retaining devices adapted for use in combination with the improved sealing material.

Similar letters of reference in each of the several figures indicate corresponding parts;

My improvement is designed as a substitute for those modes of hermetically sealing preserve-cans which require the use of rubber rings or pallets, and also those modes which require melted cement to be poured or run into grooves or recesses around the joint between the cover and the can or jar, it being preferable and better than the first modes named, inasmuch as it does not impart a scent and taste of rubber to the preserves contained in the cans, and also because the sealing of the joint hermetically is more certainly accomplished by it than with rubber, it likewise being preferable to the second modes named, because it obviates the necessity of using melted cement, and also saves the expense of stamping grooves or recesses inthe tops of the can to receive the fluid cement. It also is preferable because the unsealing of the can can be effected in an instant by simply inserting a thin blade under the cap, whereas with the ordinary modes the cement can only be removed by cutting away the same by degrees, except in one instance, and in this the use of melted cement, which requires to be poured into the groove, is necessary.

My invention consists in the use, in combination with the metal plane cap and retaining device in the sealing of preserve cans and jars having plane tops, of paper or other fibrous plane pallets which are saturated and thinly coated on both surfaces with a composition which, when the pallets are applied to the cans,

becomes fluid by the action of the heat from the contents of the can, and spreads equitably and evenly between the cap and top of the can by the pressure of the retaining device, and becomes solid again by the effect of the atmosphere, all as hereinafter described.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it more minutely with reference to the drawlngs.

A represents a tin preserve-can with ahole, c, in the center of its top. The top of the can forms a plane.

B is a cap to close the hole in the top of the can. and fits fiat upon the top of the can.

0 is a spring-rod placed over the cap 13, being hinged at a and confined by a hook or catch at b. j

D is a paper or other fibrous pallet (saturated and coated on both surfaces with a composition of beeswax and rosin) interposed between the cap B and the top of the can, so as to close up the aperture or central hole, 0, and overlap the metal surrounding said hole, as shown.

E is a wedge or block inserted between the spring-rod and the cap B. This block or wedge distends the spring 0 and causes it to exert a downward pressure upon the cap. I

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 modifications of the retaining device are shown, and in Fig. 7 a mode or applying my improvement to glass and other jars with necks is shown.

In order to prepare the hermetically-sealing pallets, I dip stout paper or other fibrous material in a vessel filled with hot melted beeswax and rosin (the proportions of the two substances being about half and half of each) and allow it to remain until the composition thorougly saturates the same and also coats its two surfaces. In some instances it may be well to continue the boiling of the composition 'while the paper or other fibrous material is resting in it.

After thoroughly preparing the paper or other fibrous material it is smoothed over by rollers or other implements and allowed to dry. The result is a thinly-coated and thoroughlysaturated hermetically-sealing material, which can be sold in the market inlarge sheets, rolls, or small pallets, and which, when applied to It also forms a plane on both surfaces the sealing of preserve-cans, answers most effectually'for hermetically sealing the'joint between thecap and the top of the'same,"a'nd at the same timeis frcefrom the objections which are urged against the use of melted cement, being neat and clean and dispensing with the use ofheated irons for ,tools, the heat j of the contents of the can being all that is required to effect the softening of the composition and the pressure of the retaining device to effect adhesion to the surfaces of the top of the can and the-surface of the cap.

The introduction into the market of my improvement will effect a great saving to families, as the fruit put up willcertainly be preserved from the effect'ofthe external air, and

after the fruit i's u'sed the cans will be in aconditlon for a seconduse, as the entire coated and saturated pallet, with all of the composition adhering to it, is lifted with the cap from each can when a sharp blade is forced under it; and While these advantagesare secured my improved pallets, by being" coated with'a substance which has no affinity'for acids,obviates the objections to the use of rubber pallets, which impart a disagreeable taste and scent to the preserves'containedfin the cans.

Having thus described my improvement, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv The use of paper or other fibrous pallets saturated and coated on both surfaces with a composition such as specified, in combination with a preserve can or jar and with the cap B and retaining device 0, in the manner and for the purposes herein specified.

HENRY S. FISHER.

Witnesses: v GUSTAVUS DIETERIOH,

EDM. F. BROWN. 

